Wyoming - U.S. States - HISTORY.com Bird: Meadowlark Interesting Facts On September 2, 1885, a group of white coal miners attacked and killed 28 of their Chinese coworkers, wounded 15 others, and torched 79 of their homes in Rock Springs. None of the perpetrators—who had been angered by the refusal of Chinese miners to join in a strike for better wages, and by the Union Pacific Coal Company’s decision to allow the Chinese to work a lucrative part of the mine—were ever convicted for the brutal massacre. Henry Longabaugh received the nickname “Sundance Kid” after serving time in prison between 1887 and 1889 for stealing a horse in Sundance, Wyoming. He later met Butch Cassidy and joined the notorious Wild Bunch. President Theodore Roosevelt designated Devils Tower—a natural rock formation resulting from a volcanic intrusion and a sacred site for many Plains Indians—the first national monument in the U.S. on September 24, 1906. In 1949, a massive blizzard blanketed Wyoming, killing 17 people, 55,000 cattle and 105,000 sheep.

Wyoming is the leading producer of coal in the United States; in 2010, the state produced 40 percent of the nation’s total. Tags Community Connection – July By klahr @ 07/10/87 in July July 10, 1890 With just over a half million residents, Wyoming is the smallest state by population but the 10th largest in land area. It’s always held a relatively small number of inhabitants, known more for its wide, open spaces and diverse wildlife population. The first people to reach the region were Siberian nomads who entered during the prehistoric years (roughly 20 millennia ago). White settlers made their way to Wyoming in the 1740s in the form of French explorers. At that point, an estimated 10,000 Native Americans lived there, mostly as part of the Shoshone tribe. Soon, fur traders began to move into Wyoming, and the state’s population increased with the advent of the railroad in the 19th century.

Wyoming finally became a state in July of 1890, and made a name for itself as the first state to grant women’s suffrage, lending itself the nickname the “Equality State.” The formal name “Wyoming” comes from a Delaware term meaning “land of the vast plains,” as today, Wyoming has an equal ratio of bighorn to people. Inhabitants are scattered across the expansive state in mining towns, ranching communities, and farms. They see millions of visitors each year thanks to the state’s renowned National Parks, like the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, home of awe-inspiring geysers like Old Faithful. Why do you think Wyoming is so scarcely populated still? What is the meaning of land conservation? By klahr @ 07/11/86 in July July 11, 1767 As the first son-of-a-president President, John Quincy Adams learned from the best. He practically watched the Revolutionary War from his back yard, and learned political discourse while serving as secretary for his dad, Founding Father and President John Adams. With a Harvard law degree and illustrious career in diplomacy behind him, John Quincy was practically ushered into the White House.

“Old Man Eloquent,” as he was known, had a rough time as president, especially since the growth of the US was giving rise to regionalism. To his credit, Adams tried to alleviate the sectionalism by improving infrastructure and starting projects like the C&O Canal. By the time he campaigned for a second term, however, Old Man Eloquent lost to the wildly popular Andrew Jackson. By then, presidential elections were becoming much more reflective of popular American opinion. He retired to his home state of Massachusetts, where he was elected to the US House of Representatives, which was beginning to grapple with the difficult question of slavery. Adams remained in the House for the remainder of his life and fought tirelessly for civil rights. He suffered from a stroke in the Capitol Building in 1848, where he died two days later. Do you think it’s harder or easier for the sons of presidents to serve their own terms? Who was the last son-of-a-president to serve as president? You probably remember him!

Wyoming | history - geography - state, United States | Britannica.com state, United States Alternative Titles: Cowboy State, Equality State Wyoming (2010) 563,626; (2016 est.) 585,501 Total area (sq mi) Seats in U.S. House of Representatives 1 (of 435) Mountain (GMT − 7 hours) 1Excluding military abroad. Wyoming, constituent state of the United States of America. Wyoming became the 44th state of the Union on July 10, 1890. It ranks 10th among the 50 U.S. states in terms of total area. It shares boundaries with six other Great Plains and Mountain states: Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Colorado to the south, Utah to the southwest, and Idaho to the west. Cheyenne , the capital, is located in the southeastern corner of the state. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Old Faithful geyser, Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.

George Marler/National Park Service The word Wyoming is derived from a Delaware word meaning “land of vast plains,” an apt description of the state’s spacious natural environment , which is home to nearly as many pronghorn as people. Wyoming’s residents are spread across the land in small ranching and farming towns, in mining settlements, and in communities offering unparalleled outdoor recreational opportunities. Each year millions of people visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Moreover, the state has a low crime rate and little pollution. One of Wyoming’s nicknames is the Equality State, because it was the first state in the country to approve a constitution that included a provision granting women the right to vote . Area 97,813 square miles (253,334 square km). Population (2010) 563,626; (2016 est.) 585,501. Yellowstone River flowing through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park, … © picturin/Fotolia Land Relief Wyoming’s topography is dominated by several large basins and the ranges of the Rocky Mountains that border them. The broad basins are synclines.

The mountains dominating Wyoming’s horizon were formed during a period of mountain-building activity known as the Laramide orogeny , which affected the region from about 70 million to 40 million years ago. The land surface of Wyoming has a mean elevation of 6,700 feet (2,040 metres) above sea level, the highest of any state except Colorado. Three-fourths of Wyoming lies more than 1 mile (1.6 km) in elevation, and two-fifths exceeds 7,000 feet (2,100 metres). The state’s lowest point, at 3,125 feet (953 metres), lies in the channel of the Belle Fourche River as it flows from the state into South Dakota; its highest point, Gannett Peak , part of the Wind River Range in west-central Wyoming, reaches 13,804 feet (4,207 metres) in elevation. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. People Population composition More than nine-tenths of Wyoming’s residents are of European ancestry. Hispanics account for the largest minority of Wyoming’s population.

African Americans constitute less than 1 percent of the total population, and most of them reside in the Cheyenne area. Although Chinese immigrants were instrumental in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad , Wyoming’s present-day Asian population is small. Most Asians live in the state’s southern counties in the cities of Cheyenne, Laramie, and Rock Springs. More than 2 percent of Wyoming’s population is composed of Native Americans , mostly the Arapaho and Shoshone . More than half of this population lives on the nearly 2,000,000-acre (810,000-hectare) Wind River Reservation in the west-central portion of Wyoming. Settlement patterns University of Wyoming Wyoming’s earliest pattern of sedentary occupancy by European immigrants and settlers from the eastern United States was determined by the locations of military posts such as Fort Laramie (1834–90) and Fort Bridger (1843–90), both of which provided protection from attacks by Native Americans as well as trading opportunities.

The building of the Union Pacific Railroad in the late 1860s led to the founding of several early settlements, including Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins , Rock Springs , and Evanston . Wyoming’s current pattern of settlement is based upon its agricultural, mining, and recreational activities, the last of which has contributed greatly to the state’s growth, owing to an increase in seasonal residents of vacation centres, especially Cody and Jackson . There is no major metropolitan area, and the state’s two largest urban areas, Casper and Cheyenne, are small cities by the standards of most states. The remainder of the state’s towns and cities are typically small in population, having long expanses of Wyoming’s wide-open spaces between them. They are service centres for surrounding ranches and farms, mining operations, and recreational lands. Shoshone Canyon, on the Shoshone River near Cody, Wyoming. F. Wood/Shostal Associates Demographic trends About two-thirds of Wyoming residents were born in state, and only 2 percent of the population is foreign-born.

In the early 21st century, as young families and workers (many of whom were immigrants) moved to Wyoming to work in mining and energy development, the average age of the population decreased slightly in the counties where those sectors were prominent. In many of the state’s rural counties, however, as much as one-fifth of the population was over the age of 65 (the national average of those over age 65 was about 12 percent). Economy Wyoming’s economy is heavily tied to mining and agriculture (primarily the marketing of beef cattle and sheep). The state also has an important and growing tourist industry, serving millions of visitors to the state’s parks and historic sites. Manufacturing is of only minor importance. Personal income per capita in Wyoming is variable because of the state’s dependence on mineral extraction. Agriculture As one of Wyoming’s nicknames, the Cowboy State, implies, ranching has historically been important to the state both economically and culturally. The state’s rangelands are well suited to livestock production, and more than two-thirds of the state’s land area is devoted to livestock grazing. The cattle industry is dominant; it accounts for more than two-thirds of Wyoming’s agricultural economy.

The production of hogs and sheep is also significant. The major crop-producing areas in Wyoming are in the southeast and in the Bighorn and Wind River basins. The state has fewer than 10,000 farms because of the small amount of annual precipitation in its western portion. Hay, consumed by livestock, accounts for much of the state’s cropland. Wyoming’s most valuable export grain crop is wheat; other important crops include oats, barley, and corn (maize). Wyoming is also a major producer of sugar beets, dry beans (including great northern and pinto beans), and potatoes. About three-fourths of Wyoming’s total cropland is irrigated. Resources and power Wyoming is one of the top coal-producing states in the country. Coal ranked as Wyoming’s most valuable mineral resource prior to 1920, but it now ranks behind petroleum and natural gas production in economic importance. Of the oil and gas deposits found across the state, the largest known are those in the northeast. There are also significant oil shale reserves in the southwest. Wyoming has substantial uranium deposits, estimated to account for one-third of the total reserves in the United States.

The state’s largest uranium deposits are found in the Red Desert, Shirley Basin, South Powder River basin, Gas Hills , and Pumpkin Buttes areas. Wyoming also contains vast quantities of trona (unrefined soda ash), bentonite clay (used as drilling mud and foundry binder), gypsum, limestone, and iron ore. Small quantities of gold and gemstones have been found in the Wind River Mountains and elsewhere but are not mined in commercial quantities. The majority of Wyoming’s electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants. Much of the remainder is produced by the Seminoe and Alcova hydroelectric power plants on the North Platte River and by an increasing number of wind farms. Its largest wind facility is in the southwestern corner of the state. The demand for energy is lower in Wyoming than in most other states, and much of its energy is exported to neighbouring states. Manufacturing Most of the manufacturing that occurs in the state is related to the processing of the raw minerals mined there. Wyoming’s chemical plants produce fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals. Construction and farming machinery, foodstuffs, soap, and stone, glass, and clay products are also manufactured. Wyoming ranks among the top states in the country in the production of wool .

Services and labour Tourism and recreation are major growth industries in Wyoming. The state government has increased its advertising of Wyoming’s spectacular scenery and recreational opportunities. Among the principal sites for tourists are the state’s parks and historic sites, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and such attractions as Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, and Devil’s Tower and Fossil Buttes national monuments. Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, U.S. Courtesy of the Wyoming Division of Tourism A quiet stretch of the Snake River, with the Teton Range in the background, Grand Teton National … John Wang/Getty Images About half of Wyoming’s workers are employed in the service industry, and the national parks and forests employ a large portion of them. Much of the remainder work in mining and for utilities. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was lower and personal income growth higher than the national average in the early 21st century, mainly because of the state’s prosperous mining and energy-producing sectors. Many people from other western states and from Rust Belt states moved to Wyoming to work in its coal, oil, and gas industries. There is no income tax in Wyoming.

Transportation The original path of the transcontinental railroad still serves as one of Wyoming’s major transportation corridors. The tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad, which continue to carry substantial quantities of freight across the state, now share the corridor with Interstate 80, one of the country’s most important east-west highways. A second east-west transportation corridor is Interstate 90. Wyoming’s primary north-south transportation corridor is Interstate 25. The state is served by a network of paved highways and roads that include the scenic Yellowstone Highway, which connects Wyoming’s largest city, Casper, with Yellowstone National Park. Passenger rail service in Wyoming was discontinued in 1997 because of high costs. Commuter air carriers serve the state’s major cities and recreational destinations, including Cheyenne, Laramie, Casper, Cody, and Jackson. Most commuter air service operations originate in Denver or Salt Lake City , Utah. Additional flights are scheduled during the winter to serve skiing destinations such as Jackson Hole and Pinedale. Government and society Constitutional framework Wyoming’s constitution, adopted in 1889, specifies three branches of state government: a legislature , an executive, and a judiciary.

There are five elected executives: governor, auditor, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and secretary of state; there is no lieutenant governor. All executive officers serve four-year terms. Each of the five elected state administrators supervises an area of state government with a substantial degree of autonomy . Wyoming counties. The State Capitol, Cheyenne, Wyo. Matthew Trump Wyoming’s constitution specifies a bicameral legislature, including a House of Representatives and a Senate . The Senate has 30 members who are elected for four-year terms, while the House has 60 representatives who are elected every two years. Representation in both chambers is based upon county or district populations. Wyoming’s legislature is composed of part-time citizen lawmakers who meet for limited legislative sessions each year. Wyoming’s constitution also establishes a three-tier court system that includes local courts, nine district courts, and a Supreme Court. District court justices stand for reelection every six years. The state’s Supreme Court has five justices who stand for reelection every eight years in nonpartisan elections. Local courts included country courts and justices of the peace and municipal courts until the late 1990s, when they were phased out in favour of circuit courts of limited jurisdiction.

At the local government level there are 23 counties and numerous municipalities, school districts, and special districts. The form of municipal government is by local option, the strong and weak mayor and the manager forms all being used. All counties use the commission form of government. The average county government provides services to a sparse population spread over some 4,000 square miles (10,000 square km), an area more than twice as large as the state of Delaware. Sweetwater county, in the southern portion of the state, alone accounts for more than 10,000 square miles (27,000 square km). These large areas require a strong commitment to the effective provision of services on the part of local government officials and a measure of self-reliance on the part of Wyoming’s population. Wyoming is politically conservative and has traditionally favoured the Republican Party in presidential contests. Wyoming has also tended to send Republican senators and representatives to the U.S. Congress. Although Democratic victories are not uncommon in state executive-branch positions, there has not been a Democratic majority in the state Senate since 1936 or in the House since 1964.

Republican Dick Cheney , the vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009, represented Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives for six terms beginning in 1978 and eventually became the Republican whip. Health and welfare Quality health care facilities are located in the state’s larger towns and cities, but there remains a demand for health care professionals in many of the state’s rural areas. Many rural residents must travel to Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, or Denver for treatment. The state’s Native American communities are served by the U.S. Indian Health Service. Education The state’s population is well educated, with the proportion of both high school and college graduates above the national average. Wyoming’s schools are small and have favourable teacher-pupil ratios. In some of the state’s most isolated areas, kindergarten to eighth-grade students are still taught in one-teacher schools. The vast majority of the state’s population graduates from high school. The University of Wyoming , located in Laramie, was founded in 1886 and is the state’s only public four-year institution of higher learning.

There are, however, several private four-year colleges in Wyoming, as well as two-year community colleges in Casper, Cheyenne, Sheridan , Powell , Rock Springs, Torrington , and Riverton . Cultural life The traditions and culture of the American West remain very much a part of Wyoming life. Annual festivals that celebrate the state’s Western heritage include county fairs, the Wyoming State Fair, held in Douglas each August , and Jubilee Days, held in Laramie in July. Many of these events are held in conjunction with rodeos . The world’s largest rodeo is held each summer in Cheyenne during Frontier Days . Frontier Days has been held annually since 1897 and draws visitors from all parts of the world to watch events that include bronco riding, bull riding, calf roping, and barrel racing. A roping event at the Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede, Cody, Wyo. Kevin R. Morris/Corbis The arts The annual Jackson Hole Falls Arts Festival is popular with local artists. There is also an arts community in the town of Cody , which was founded by entertainer and marksman William F.

Cody (better known as Buffalo Bill Cody), whose Wild West show toured throughout the United States and Europe and made him a national celebrity. Jackson Pollock , one of the leading artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement, hailed from Cody. Several writers focused their work on Wyoming. Perhaps the best-known novelist to portray the heroic cowboy of the American West was Owen Wister , who spent some summers in the state. Humorist Bill Nye began his career in Wyoming and was the first editor of the Laramie Boomerang newspaper. Other writers who have lived in and written about Wyoming include Gretel Ehrlich, Geoffrey O’Gara, E. Annie Proulx , and C.L. Rawlins. Cultural institutions Music companies and music festivals include the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the Casper Civic Symphony, the Grand Teton Music Festival in Teton Village, and the Wyoming Summer Music Festival in Laramie, which highlights chamber music. Several cities and towns in Wyoming have active theatre companies. There are also a number of museums in Wyoming, many preserving the state’s colourful historical past. The National Museum of Wildlife Art is in Jackson Hole. Cody’s Buffalo Bill Historical Center features a museum and a library.

Every county in Wyoming has at least one library, with the state’s largest being the William Robertson Coe Library, at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Sports and recreation Spectator sports in Wyoming tend to focus on local high school teams. On the college level, the University of Wyoming, a member of the Mountain West Conference, has a solid fan base and a tradition of success in both gridiron football and men’s basketball. Although the Wyoming basketball program produced especially strong teams in the 1980s, its heyday was in 1943, when Kenny Sailor (credited by some as the inventor of the jump shot) led Wyoming to a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship. Another University of Wyoming basketball player, Curt Gowdy , went on to become one of the best-known American sportscasters of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. Wyoming’s numerous state and national parks, national forests, and historic sites provide nearly unparalleled opportunities for camping, hiking, and observing wildlife. Nearly the entire expanse of the world’s oldest national park , Yellowstone, is found within the borders of Wyoming, making it readily accessible to the state’s residents.

A large number of Wyomingites also regularly take advantage of the state’s excellent hunting and fishing opportunities. Media and publishing The major daily newspapers in Wyoming are the Casper Star Tribune and the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. The Warren Sentinel covers news from the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne. Page 1 of 2 Wyoming - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The first area in the United States to be set aside from commercial exploitation was Yellowstone National Park, most of which lies within the state of Wyoming. The park was created in 1872, when Wyoming was still a territory. The natural grandeur of the 44th state in the Union was further recognized in 1906 with the designation of the first national monument in the United States. Devils Tower is an immense lava outcropping near the Belle Fourche River in the northeastern corner of Wyoming. Another national monument, in the southwest, Fossil Butte preserves one of the world’s largest fossil fish beds in rocks laid down some 60 million years ago. Article Contributors State History: 8 Events That Shaped Wyoming A A Despite being the 10th largest U.S. state in total area, Wyoming is the least populous.

The eastern Rocky Mountains cover the western part of the state, while the High Plains make up the eastern part. None of this suggests that Wyoming hasn't played an important role in the history of America, as they've been responsible for a number of firsts. Here are eight events that shaped the state: 1. The area's history goes back centuries, but in 1833, Captain Benjamin L. E. de Bonneville mapped the future state and discovered oil east of the Wind River Mountains, according to The Robinson Library. VOTE NOW: Is Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead Doing a Good Job? 2. On Dec. 10, 1869, Wyoming became the first U.S. territory to grant women voting rights, a milestone that accelerated the suffrage movement. While Western territories generally led the way for such progress, the motives may go beyond gender equality. Men outnumbered women six to one in Wyoming, and lawmakers hoped the change would bring women to the area, while others may have supported it to bolster conservative voting bloc, according to the History.com. 3. Wyoming did its part for conservatism when Yellowstone Park became the world's first national park , in 1872.

The destination in northwestern Wyoming remains one of America's most popular attractions, bringing millions each year to visit Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring. Many more national parks came after, but Yellowstone showed the need to preserve natural lands for plants and wildlife. 4. Wyoming joined became the 44th state to join the Union on July 10, 1890. Politicians agreed that Wyoming Territory was ready for statehood, an attractive way to for local businessmen and politicians to gain more control over land and water issues. Its first governor was Francis Warren, who resigned a month into his term when he was elected to the United State Senate. 5. More than 30 years after Wyoming's Yellowstone earned the designation as the first national park, the natural landmark Devils Tower became the country's first national monument. A natural rock formed from a volcanic intrusion, it was set aside on Sept. 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. The formation sits more than 1,200 feet above the state's eastern plains and the Belle Fourche River. VOTE NOW: Should the Government Be Doing More to Promote Tourism in America? 6.

Continuing their trend of furthering the women's movement, Wyoming elected the nation's first female governor on Nov. 4, 1924, 55 years after granting women the right to vote. Nellie Tayloe Ross was the widow of William Ross, who served as governor from 1923 until his death in 1924, and she was chosen to complete his four-year term, which ended in 1927. Six years later, she was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the first woman to head the U.S. Mint, according to History Headlines. 7. Though a rural state, Wyoming showed a focus on education when the Laramie County Library System was established in Cheyenne in August 1866, and it is the oldest continually operating county library system in the U.S. 8. The Johnson County War, also known as the War on Powder River and the Wyoming Range War, this conflict took place in three Wyoming counties on April 5, 1892.

It pitted small factions of settling ranchers against larger established ones, and developed in a bloody gunfight that also included hired killers, a sheriff's posse and the U.S. Cavalry. Over time, the specifics have been romanticized and became the basis for books, movies, and TV shows. 1000+ images about Wyoming (#44) 07-10-1890 on Pinterest | Shops, Welcome to home and Seals Forward The Wyoming State Capitol is the state capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Wyoming. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne.The exterior approach to the front steps of the capitol features the State Seal in granite as well as two statues. Esther Hobart Morris, who had a significant role in gaining women's suffrage in the Wyoming Territory and Chief Washakie of the Shoshone tribe.The famed leader and warrior died at the age of 102 in 1900.

See More Wyoming Secretary of State Wyoming Secretary of State Big Wyoming, Equality State, Cowboy State Motto July 10, 1890, 44th State Size 97,914 square miles, 9th largest state Highest Point 3,100 feet, Belle Fourche River Average Annual Precipitation 563,626 State of Wyoming Wyoming is in the western United States. It is bordered by Montana on the north, South Dakota and Nebraska on the east, Colorado and Utah on the south, and Utah, Idaho and Montana on the west. The land within these borders was first called Wyoming in 1865, when a member of the U.S. Congress from Ohio suggested that a new territory be carved from Dakota, Utah, and Idaho territories. The name Wyoming is a contraction of the Native American word mecheweamiing ("at the big plains"), and was first used by the Delaware people as a name for the Wyoming Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania. Wyoming is known as the Cowboy State and the Equality State. The latter recognizes Wyoming as the first state to specifically give women the right to vote, which it did as a territory in 1869 and retained upon entering the Union.

Wyoming became a territory in 1868 and entered the Union on July 10, 1890, as the 44th state. It has a wealth of mineral and agricultural resources, and mining and agriculture still play major roles in the state's economy. During the same period the state ranked 50th among the 50 states in population and 50th in manufacturing. "Wyoming," © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Flag The Wyoming State Flag, designed by Mrs. A.C. Keyes of Casper (formerly Miss Verna Keays of Buffalo), was adopted by the fourteenth legislature on January 31, 1917. The Great Seal of Wyoming is the heart of the flag. On the bison, once the monarch of the plains, is the seal representing the custom of branding. The colors of the State Flag are the same as those of the National Flag. The red border represents the Indian and the blood of the pioneers who gave their lives reclaiming the soil. White is the emblem of purity and uprightness. Blue, the color of the sky and mountains, is symbolic of fidelity, justice and virility.

State of Wyoming, State Flower: Indian Paintbrush The Indian paintbrush, common name for any of a genus of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs, was adopted as the State Flower on January 31, 1917. The genus, which contains about 200 species, is native to the cooler portions of North and Central America and Asia, and to the Andes. Because Indian paintbrushes, also called painted cups, are parasitic on the roots of other plants, they have not been naturalized and have rarely been cultivated away from their native habitat. The plants have long, hairy, unbranched stems with alternate leaves. The uppermost leaves, or bracts, are brilliantly colored and much showier than the inconspicuous interspersed flowers. The flowers, which are borne in spikes, have a two-lobed calyx, a two-lobed corolla, four stamens, and a solitary pistil. The corolla, which is usually yellow, is encased within the calyx, and is usually indiscernible. The fruit is a two-celled capsule. The common painted cup is the State Flower of Wyoming.

The calyx of this plant is greenish white, but the bracts are intense vermilion. The scarlet paintbrush is a common wild plant of the eastern United States. The common Indian paintbrush is a hardy herb found in Canada and in the mountainous regions of the northern United States from New England to the Rocky Mountains. Its calyx is greenish white tinted with purplish red. Scientific classification: Indian paintbrushes make up the genus Castilleja, of the family Scrophulariaceae. The common painted cup is classified as Castilleja linariaefolia, the scarlet paintbrush as Castilleja coccinea, and the common Indian paintbrush as Castilleja septentrionalis. "Indian Paintbrush," Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2008 © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Bird: Meadowlark Meadowlark is the common name for any of seven American bird species of a genus of the blackbird subfamily. The two North American species, the eastern and western meadowlarks, look very much alike but have different voices. Both are about 23 cm (about 9 in) long.

They are brown streaked with black and buff above and bright yellow below, with a black crescent on the chest. They inhabit meadows and fields across the United States, their ranges overlapping in the middle west. They build domed nests hidden in the grass, where the females lay four to six white eggs, speckled with reddish brown. The range of the eastern meadowlark extends south to northern South America, where it meets the northernmost of five South American species, all characterized by having red rather than yellow breasts. Wyoming adopted the meadowlark as its State Bird on February 5, 1927. Scientific classification: Meadowlarks make up the genus Sturnella of the subfamily Teterinae, family Emberizidae, order Passeriformes. The subfamily is sometimes considered a separate family, Icteridae. The eastern meadowlark is classified as Sturnella magna and the western meadowlark as Sturnella neglecta. "Meadowlark," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

State Tree: Cottonwood Cottonwood is the common name for several species of fast-growing, short-lived trees, members of the willow family. Cottonwoods are named for the cottonlike mass of hairs surrounding their seeds. They are related to poplars and aspens. Cottonwood trees may reach a height of 30 m (100 ft) or more and may have a trunk diameter up to 2.4 m (8 ft). The bark is rough, with deep fissures. Cottonwoods are fast growing but short-lived trees. They are easily propagated, and some are planted as ornamentals. The wood of cottonwoods is moderately soft and rather lightweight. It is used chiefly for boxes, crates, and the interior parts of furniture. The plains cottonwood is a large tree of the Great Plains and eastern border of the Rocky Mountains, and its range extends north into Canada. It grows to 27 m (90 ft). This tree is a subspecies of the eastern cottonwood, but it has hairy buds and lighter yellow branchlets. Its coarsely toothed leaves are often broader than they are long and have glands at the base of the leaf blade.

The cottonwood became Wyoming's State Tree on February 1, 1947. The statute declaring the cottonwood as our State Tree was then amended in 1961 to change the scientific name. Scientific classification: Cottonwoods are members of the family Salicaceae. The cottonwood is classified as Populus deltoides variety monilifera. "Cottonwood," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Gemstone: Jade Jade is a compact, opaque gemstone ranging in color from dark green to almost white. The term is applied to specimens cut from the minerals jadeite and nephrite. Wyoming's State Gemstone is of the nephrite variety and was adopted on January 25, 1967. Nephrite, a member of the amphibole group of minerals, is a silicate of calcium and magnesium, with a small amount of iron replacing part of the magnesium. It is a tough, compact variety of the mineral tremolite with a hardness of 6 to 6.5 and specific gravity 2.96 to 3.1.

Polished nephrite has an oily luster. "Jade," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Mammal: Bison The bison, adopted Wyoming's State Mammal on February 23, 1985, is the largest terrestrial animal in North America, where it is commonly called buffalo. The bison is characterized by a hump over the front shoulders; short, sharply pointed horns (in both sexes) curving outward and up from the sides of the massive head; and slimmer hindquarters. A mature bull of the North American bison is about 2 m (about 6.5 ft) high at the hump and 2.7 to 3.7 m (9 to 12 ft) long and weighs 850 to 1100 kg (1800 to 2400 lb); the female is smaller. The head, neck, forelegs, and front parts of the body have a thick coat of long, dark hair. The rear part of the body is covered with much shorter hair.

The adult bull usually has a black beard about 30 cm (about 12 in) long. k beard about 30 cm (about 12 in) long. Scientific classification: Bison belong to the family Bovidae. The plains bison is classified as Bison bison bison, the wood bison as Bison bison athabascae, and the European bison as Bison bonasus. "Bison," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Fish: Cutthroat Trout Cutthroat trout is a type of trout named for an orange mark behind the lower jaw. Cutthroat trout are adaptable fish with several subspecies, or stocks, that vary greatly in appearance and live in a variety of habitats. Inland cutthroat are freshwater fish, living in cool streams or lakes; coastal cutthroat migrate to sea after two to five years in freshwater. All cutthroat return to their native streams to lay their eggs, or spawn. Cutthroat are native to the western part of North America. Coastal cutthroat historically ranged from mid-Alaska to northern California.

Inland cutthroat ranged from southern British Columbia and Alberta, Canada to New Mexico, and from eastern California to Colorado. Cutthroat have been transplanted widely and can now be found throughout North America. The cutthroat trout became Wyoming's State Fish on February 18, 1987. Scientific classification: The cutthroat trout is a member of the family Salmonidae in the Salmoniformes order. It is classified as Oncorhynchus clarki. "Cutthroat Trout," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Fossil: Knightia Knightia is an extinct genus of fish well-known from abundant fossils found in the Green River Formation of Wyoming. They rarely exceeded 25 cm in length and are found throughout the formation. Knightia became Wyoming's State Fossil on February 18, 1987. Knightia was a slender fish and seems to have been a secondary consumer, feeding mainly on ostracods, algal forms and diatoms, as well as some smaller fish. They were schooling fish, and because of this they are frequently found together in mass mortality layers.

The tendency for individual fishes to cluster in groups was probably quite common. Modern forms of small fish are noted for schooling, and it is highly probable that the ancient types associated similarly. "Knightia," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia 2008, All Rights Reserved. State Reptile: Horned Toad The horned toad is a common name for a genus of short-tailed, short-legged lizards in the iguana family. They are called â€œhornedâ€ for the hornlike spines on the back of the head and sides of the body, and â€œtoadâ€ for their rounded, toadlike shape. Found mostly in dry regions of the western United States and Mexico, they are diurnal and can often be seen sitting motionless near ant mounds. Most species feed heavily on ants, but they will also eat other types of small insects and spiders. Their wide, flat bodies are about 8 to 13 cm (about 3 to 5 in) long. For defense, many species, including the coast horned lizard, can spray an intruder with blood from the corners of their eyes.

The horned toad was adopted as the State Reptile on February 18, 1993. Scientific classification: Horned lizards make up the genus Phrynosoma of the family Iguanidae. The coast horned lizard is classified as Phrynosoma coronatum and the Texas horned lizard as Phrynosoma cornutum. "Horned Lizard," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Dinosaur: Triceratops Wyoming's State Dinosaur, the triceratops is of the genus of four-legged, plant-eating dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous Period, more than 65 million years ago. Triceratops had three horns on its skull - one on its snout and one above each eye. The name is derived from the Greek words treis, "three"; kerat, "horn"; and ops, "face." Triceratops was one of the largest horned dinosaurs. The animal's other defining features include a beak and a neck shield, or frill.

Triceratops belonged to a diverse group of ornithischian ("bird-hipped") dinosaurs called ceratopsians ("horn-face"), which populated North America and Asia toward the end of the age of dinosaurs. Many skulls have been recovered from sediments that floods deposited 67 million to 65 million years ago on low, coastal plains near a seaway that covered the interior of the United States and Canada. The triceratops was adopted as the State Dinosaur on March 18, 1994. "Triceratops," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Sport: Rodeo Rodeo is a competitive sport in which riders display their skill in activities related directly or indirectly to livestock raising, such as riding and roping cattle and horses. The term "rodeo" comes from the Spanish word rodear (to surround) and originally meant "roundup." A rodeo usually comprises five standard events and may also include up to three nonstandard events, as well as a number of informal contests. Cash prizes are awarded.

The sport is especially popular in the United States and Canada, and about 2,000 rodeos are held annually in those countries. Most major rodeos are under the jurisdiction of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The leading rodeos include Frontier Days, in Cheyenne, Wyoming; National Finals Rodeo, in Las Vegas, Nevada; National Western, in Denver, Colorado; Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, in Houston, Texas; and Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, in Calgary, Alberta. Wyoming adopted the rodeo as its State Sport during its legislative session in 2003. "Rodeo," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008, © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. State Coin: Sacagawea Golden Dollar Coin Sacagawea was the Shoshone Indian who assisted the historic Lewis and Clark expedition. Between 1804 and1806, while still a teenager, she guided the adventurers from the Northern Great Plains to the Pacific Ocean and back.

Her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, and their son who was born during the trip, Jean Baptiste, also accompanied the group. Sacagawea knew several Indian languages, and being Shoshone, could help Lewis and Clark make contact with her people and acquire horses that were crucial to the success of the mission. Her contribution far exceeded anything Lewis and Clark had expected. She provided crucial knowledge of the topography of some of the most rugged country of North America and taught the explorers how to find edible roots and plants previously unknown to European-Americans. Most crucially, Sacagawea and her infant served as a "white flag" of peace for the expedition, which was as much a military expedition as a scientific one. They entered potentially hostile territory well armed but undermanned compared to the Native American tribes they met. Because no war party was ever accompanied by a woman and infant, the response of the Native Americans was curiosity, not aggression. Sacagawea died at the age of 25. Her grave is located in Lander, Wyoming. In 2000, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R - Wyoming), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, nominated Sacagawea for the dollar coin.

Wyoming named the Sacagawea Golden Coin its State Coin on March 2, 2004. "Coins and Medals: Sacagawea Golden Coin," © 1998-2008. The United States Mint. All Rights Reserved. State Grass: Western Wheatgrass Western wheatgrass is a perennial and sod-forming grass, native to most parts of the United States except the humid southeast. It is a dominant species in the Central and Northern Great Plains. Plant growth is vigorous, reaching 2 to 3 feet in height. Leaves are up to 12 inches long, 0.25 inch wide, rather stiff and erect. The whole plant is covered with a grayish bloom. It thrives best on rather heavy soil, but is adapted to a wide range of soil types, including alkaline soil. Both as pasturage and when cut for hay while still succulent, it is relished by all classes of livestock. The plants are usually grown from seed, but spread from underground rhizomes to form dense sods. This is a very valuable grass, both for feed and for erosion control. Scientific classification: Western wheatgrass is classified as Pascopyrum smithii.

Wyoming adopted the western wheatgrass as its State Grass on February 28, 2007. "Western Wheatgrass," Purdue University, Magness, J.R., G.M. Markle, C.C. Compton. 1971. Food and feed crops of the United States. Interregional Research Project IR-4, IR Bul. 1 (Bul. 828 New Jersey Agr. Expt. Sta.), State Butterfly: Sheridan's Green Hairstreak Sheridan's green hairstreak occurs widely across Wyoming in mountains and foothills, wherever its food-plant (sulphur flower) is found. The butterflies visit various wildflowers to feed on nectar. This butterfly flies from March to early June and is the earliest butterfly to emerge from a chrysalis in Wyoming. Like the robin in Wyoming and other states, this green butterfly is a symbol of the arrival of spring in Wyoming. Adults may be seen flying during the earliest warm days of spring, while snow is still melting nearby. It is a small butterfly, with wing spans averaging 2.2-2.9 cm (less than one inch).

However, the bright green color of the underside of the wings is very distinctive, making the butterfly quite easy to identify. There is a line of white dots across the underside of the hind wing, which may join to form a nearly solid white line. The upper surface of the wings is dark gray, but when at rest the wings are folded over the back, exposing the green lower surfaces. Scientific classification: Sheridan's green hairstreak is classified as Callophrys sheridanii, one of four species of the genus Callophrys. It is a member of the family Lycaenidae. The name is derived from the Greek words kallos (beauty) and phryktos (beacon). Sheridan's green hairstreak is assigned to the subfamily Theclinae, commonly known as hairstreaks because many species have tiny hair-like tails off the tips of the hind wings. However, species of Callophrys have rounded hind wing margins without tails, so these are sometimes called tail-less hairstreaks. Dr. Scott Shaw, Professor of Entomology and Insect Museum Curator, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.

State Code The code of the west, as derived from the book, Cowboy Ethics by James P. Owen, and summarized as follows, is the official state code of Wyoming. The code was adopted as Wyoming's State Code on March 3, 2010. The code includes:

Question: Known as the Equality State, what was the 44th state to join the Union on Jul 10, 1890?
Answer: Wyoming